Learning from CEC
As promised, I took my beginner’s mind to CEC and I was not disappointed!
Yes - my 2 presentations went well. The response from participants confirmed that we’re on the right track. Our presentation on using coaching for high leverage practices had a good turnout and interesting follow-up questions. If you were there, I’d love to hear your takeaways! And (by the way) why are the first rows always empty?
Those who stopped by our poster session asked lots of questions about our JIVES approach to assessing the value of professional development over time. Rachel Juergensen is making final edits to our manuscript that we’ll submit for publication. More about that later…
But I promised to bring back my big “aha’s” so here goes. There were 4:
1. The federal government has funded a new center, called Lead IDEA. It will focus on school principals and district/state specialists who lead instruction and don’t have the skills and capacities they need related to special education. It will be housed at the American Institutes for Research and co-lead by David Bateman and Lynn Holdheide - a dynamic duo. This center is so brand-new - there’s not even a website yet!
Their five year grant commenced with a survey of leaders asking about gaps in their current support system. They will publish materials and tools that will be freely available to support leaders across the country. I’m excited to incorporate their resources into our Joyful Inclusion® materials.
2. The opening keynote was delivered by Dr. Curtis Hill on the Culture of Belonging and Inclusion. I knew I was in the right place as he started his highly interactive presentation, talking about the importance of belonging - a concept integral to Joyful Inclusion®. He’s a former teacher who now brings a culture of belonging into workplaces. His website https://cultureofbelonging.org/ is packed with valuable resources and videos. I’ll be integrating some of his ideas into the Joyful Inclusion packages for sure!
3. Do you use the resources at the Progress Center (also federally funded at AIR)? Somehow, I didn’t know about it, but I attended their breakout session and then stopped by their table.
They provide resources and support for “educators and leaders responsible for the development and implementation of high-quality education programs that ensure students with disabilities have access to free appropriate public education (FAPE) and that enables them to make progress and meet challenging goals…”
My team is now digging into their offerings so we can embed them in appropriate modules of Joyful Inclusion®. Check out their website at https://www.air.org/centers/progress-center
4. Inclusion Facilitation: Building Inclusive Practices that Matter in Your District. I went to a breakout presentation by a team in Illinois with that intriguing title. The Special Education Director and an Inclusion Facilitator shared how their district experimented with a new position: Inclusion Facilitator. This person was available to any IEP team in the district If they requested help with moving a student into a less restrictive environment. The IEP team first completes a survey with information about the student, interventions that have been tried and challenges related to academic, social, behavioral or functional performance. The Inclusion Facilitator then provides on-site support, getting to know the student, family and teachers involved. She then works with the team to ensure needed supports are in place, compliance measures are met, and mindset/skillset issues are addressed. They have successfully moved 68 students to less restrictive environments since 2019 - one at a time. Pretty impressive!
It was a whirlwind 3 days that gave me much to reflect on. I’ve been noticing how much I crave new ideas and opportunities to brainstorm with people who are passionate about improving the state of our schools. We CAN do better! and I’m excited to build alliances with other trailblazers.
Next year CEC will be in Baltimore. Will I see you there?
As usual, I’d welcome your comments.
And - of course - reach out if you’d like to learn more about how Joyful Inclusion® might be what your schools need. We are taking a waiting list for fall 2024 right now.
